This CD set is fantastic. It has all of my old favorites. It is very crisp and clear. I have listened to it for over 2 weeks.
Neil Diamond is probably the only star who I would go to see in concert.
Diamonds are forever.

I love Neil Diamond! However, I would not have ordered this collection had I known it was a live in concert version. I thought it was a studio version. If you want his best work, please look at the description carefully and make sure you get the hits made in the studio. Tis hard to sing along with this CD, as he ab libs so much.

Includes just about all of Neil Diamonds songs you'll like to have, unless you're a hard core fan.
I would much rather have them include the original releases of songs as oposed to concert versions but I guess I can live with these.
For some reason I hadn't payed much attention to Neil Diamond since my college days (see LPs and cassettes). It's great getting aquainted with his fantastic tunes all over again.

If you're a Neil Diamond fan, then this is definitely for you. I love every song on these cds. I've listened to them over and over. The only fault that I can find, is that there are some "live" tracks. I'm not a fan of live tracks, but these aren't too bad. They definitely don't distract from the overall enjoyment of the cds.

Good seection on neil's tunes, but for me "Forever in blue jeans" is my favourite.

From 16 to 60 you just can't help but love the music od Neil Diamond and this CD is his all time great.

I did not like the live versions of songs and would not have purchased it had I known that they were not studio recordings.

Good old Columbia does it again. Looking at the cover, and the list of songs on the back, you could be forgiven if you assumed these were all the original charted renditions, as there is absolutely nothing to indicate that some of the biggest hits included were re-recorded years later. Only when you open the package and check out the booklet do you realize you have been bamboozled. And now it's too late to take it back!

For the record, the following are NOT the originals: Brooklyn Roads; Red, Red Wine; I'm A Believer; Sweet Caroline; Soolaimon; Cracklin' Rosie; Song Sung Blue; Play Me; Holly Holy; Morningside; Crunchy Granola Suite; Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show; and I Am ... I Said.

Combined with Heartbreak Hotel [a previously unreleased duet with Kim Carnes] and All I Really Need Is You - which was NOT a hit by any stretch of the definition - that's 40% of the contents, folks. Beautiful Noise was a # 8 on the Adult Contemporary charts in late 1976/early 1977, but failed to dent the Pop Hot 100.

The best thing about this is the 47-page booklet which contains two pages of background notes written by Neil, the lyrics to all selections, and five pages of recording credits. But that does not make up for the misinformation on the outside of the package. Compilation Coordinator Sam Cole, and Columbia, should be taken to task by the industry. Caveat emptor, indeed.

I can't really say that there is a bad song on there (and I'm not a Neil Diamond fan, this is my only album). Check the description (I didn't) there are a number of live songs on there (I think about 13 of them) and if you weren't expecting them then you might be let down. They're very good, just different.

This is a must for all Neil Diamond fans. He simply shines through as one of the most talented songwriters and performers of our time. Some songs are recorded'live', and some are not, but the atmosphere is electric.

My grandmother is STILL a big Neil Diamond fan. This was a double CD with every song a fan would want and then some.

While I love Neil Diamond's music, there was nothing that I saw, to indicate that most of the songs on this album were recorded live. Now that is not necessarily bad, but in this instance he yelled the songs rather than singing them and there is LOTS of croud noise! What I was looking for were the original studio recordings.

I'm a casual Neil Diamond fan and was looking for a CD that captures his later work. When the CD arrived, I was a bit put off by the fact that many of the songs are live. But, when I opened it up a listened to it, I was not disappointed. I've listened to the 2nd CD over and over again and I think it's outstanding. I have yet to listen to the first CD (I've just never been terribly interested in his earlier work) and I may never listen to it, who knows? But, the 2nd CD had what I was looking for and it delivered! I hope this helps.

This CD is a total misrepresentation. MANY of the songs are VERY poorly done concert versions of songs. They even use the exact same audience cheering track on several songs. Buy it only if you are a fan looking to fill in missing songs in your collection. Don't buy it thinking you are getting all the original hits. 14 songs are live. One appears to be re-recorded. The rest are the originals. Also, on CD #2 many of the media tags are incorrect. When you play "All I Really Need Is You" (Live) the title "Heartbreak Hotel" shows. When you play "Headed for the Future" the song title "All I Really Need Is You" shows. When you play "Heartbreak Hotel" the song title "Headed for the Future" shows. Overall, a VERY sloppy project they obviously just rushed to market not caring about quality.

The Mono hits on the first disc were the only ones of any good on this CD with exception of "America" on the 2nd disc. I am very, very disappointed with Columbia for picking out live tracks for the other earlier songs such as "Sweet Caroline" and the tracks they picked - barf! Of all the live performances the man has done, why these? I go with others who have reviewed this as a poor production - buy the 20th Century one, it's a helluva lot better than this double set.

A real good selection by Neil Diamond, his music is always very enjoyable.

Great CD with all the good old tunes we liked to listen to. As usual Amazon delivered in a quick and professional manner. A great buy!

So I'm not the only one who feels ripped off! I was so angry when I played this (on an excellent system and at a decent volume) and discovered that many of the tracks are (poor) live recordings. Like so many artists, he has passed his prime and his concert performances are but a pale imitation of the original recordings; and it is those original recordings his fans remember and expect.
I was so angry I was tempted to write to Neil and complain. Unlike one of your unhappy reviewers, I did not even have the benefit of a sticker warning of the live tracks.
If you're a real fan of the man, don't buy it.

I so agree with most people here. The live songs are so bad... I am writing this in Oct. 2005, having just returned from his live concert in Atlanta. After hearing this CD, I was reluctant to even go to his concert, but am happy to report he did a great job in it. He sang well and was fairly true to the records. And as for the first disc records not being in stereo., I knew they sounded weak but didn't realize why til I read these.

Do you know why this double CD is often in the bargain basement? SImply because it is an inferior product. For some very odd reason, the compiler at the record company decided to put 13 live songs instead of the studio versions that we all remember. For all we know, it may have been a copyright problem. I bought this for my Dad about 5 years ago, but we were both unaware of the live recordings until we played it. The live recordings on this CD are dismal and not related to the awesome "Hot August Night".

Fortunately for me, I own the right Neil Diamond CD's which contain the studio versions. These are still available . The first is called "12 Greatest Hits" (A black and white photo a young Neil), and the second is called "12 Greatest Hits Volume 2" (a colour photo of Neil sitting on a sofa). Both of these contain all the studio versions - and not one live recording in sight!!!

Just released is a new compilation called Neil Diamond GOLD, as part of the GOLD series but I do not know if it too contains the dreadful live recordings. All I know is that it is missing a lot of key tracks.

Given the bevy of Neil Diamond compilations to hit the shelves over the past several years, it's surprising to find this title still in print. Nevertheless, this was the first attempt to compile a comprehensive retrospective of Neil Diamond's varied career.

There are essentially four distinct stages of Diamond's output - the early rock `n' roller of the mid sixties (the Bang material from '66 and '67), the blossoming singer/songwriter of the late sixties and early seventies (the Uni/MCA material from '68 through '72), the artsy recordings of the early seventies (the few Columbia albums from '73 through '76), and, for lack of a better term, the schmaltzy era, which includes virtually everything that followed Love at the Greek from `77.

The eight Bang recordings that begin the set are the original mono mixes, not the stereo remixes found on Columbia's otherwise excellent Bang sampler, Classics - The Early Years. These are some of Diamond's most famous and greatest songs. Solitary Man, Kentucky Woman, Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon and Cherry, Cherry are veritable classics. My only complaint with the presentation of the Bang material is its brevity, particularly in light of the fact that two additional Bang era songs, I'm a Believer and Red, Red Wine, are presented here in vastly inferior live versions. And since these live versions are significantly lengthier than the original singles, the compilers of this set could have included both of the original singles instead and still had room for another Bang era nugget like The Boat that I Row.

This unfortunate trend continues for the remainder of the first disc and a small portion of the second disc. Live recordings from the late eighties and early nineties supplant all of the Uni/MCA recordings because Columbia was unable (or willing) to license the original studio recordings from MCA. As a result, a disastrously large number of classics like Sweet Caroline, Cracklin' Rosie, I Am...I Said, and Holly Holy (to name a few) make their requisite appearance on this set, but these are not the versions you remember. While live Neil Diamond recordings are not necessarily a bad thing (Hot August Night might very well be his single greatest album), these live versions recorded two decades after the fact are downright abysmal. Even more painful are the two newly recorded studio versions of Song Sung Blue and Play Me. Why bother?

The remainder of the second disc covers the next twenty years worth of recording for Columbia with the three top ten hits from The Jazz Singer (a Capitol Records recording) thrown in for good measure. The song selections here are pretty much exactly what you'd expect. In fact, tracks 3 through 14 on the second disc are the exact same songs that appear on Columbia's first Neil Diamond compilation album, 12 Greatest Hits Volume II. Rounding out the disc are two more eighties singles, Heartlight (a top 5 hit in '82) and Headed for the Future (which didn't even break the top 40 in '86), along with two new recordings, an unnecessary cover of Heartbreak Hotel with Kim Carnes and a live version of All I Ever Need is You, one of the better album tracks from the late eighties album, The Best Years of Our Lives. Heartlight was Neil's last big single and, as such, I personally would have opted to close the set with this track. By excising the last three numbers, room could have been made for some more of his seventies gems like I've Been This Way Before (from Serenade) and Dry Your Eyes (from Beautiful Noise).

Columbia quickly redeemed itself upon the release of the vastly superior retrospective, In My Lifetime, a mere four years later. While that set sports a heftier price tag, the extra money is well spent. Not only does In My Lifetime improve upon the sound quality of this set by utilizing 20-bit SBM remastering technology, Columbia wisely licensed the original studio recordings of the Uni/MCA material in order to present Neil's classic catalog the way it was originally intended to be heard. Unless the inclusion of 12 late era live tracks and two 1992 re-recordings of the Uni/MCA material doesn't bother you, I recommend skipping this set in favor of In My Lifetime.

The song listing shows Red Red Wine is live. In reality there are 13 live recordings on here. Most of this 2 disc set is filled with alternate versions of the hits. The first disc tries to pass off the first 8 or 9 tracks as being the original mono singles. I've got most of those tracks on mono 45s and these are NOT the same versions. These sound like early mixes or even demos in one or two cases. They are missing instruments, have weak vocals, and are overall NOT the "hit" versions of these early songs. Then the set goes to live recordings for the next 3rd of the tracks. Only on the latter tracks does it contain the released "hit" versions of Neil's songs. Stay away from this unless you are a completist looking for alternate versions of his hits.

When I bought this cd, no where at all on the case did it say that it was partly a live album. I was very upset after I quickly went to my favorite song, and found a mess of a live version in its place. I am not a fan of live albums, and would NEVER have bought this if I had known. They are not even good attempts at the songs that I grew up loving. All he managed to do is yell a lot, sing off key, and play to the crowd. My favorite Neil Diamond songs were destroyed, but on a HAPPY note, at least the WHOLE album wasn't live.

For those of you who are whining because of the "live versions", please have an open mind and allow others to experience "a pleasurable difference." For one, listen to the music on a quality stereo set and turn it up! The live versions have that orchestral sound that is so reminiscent of Neil Diamond's concerts.

The live version of "Morningside" is absolutely mesmerizing. I will always prefer that version to the original. Another wonderful and very personal live version is the "Brooklyn Roads" That version, too, is far superior to the original.

The double CD is populated with a few other live versions and as I said, hearing those makes me feel like I am right smack in the concert again as some of the songs are done in that rousing style his audiences love. Neil sings a few of the tunes that others make famous, like "I'm A Believer" and "Red Red Wine".

This collection is marvelous and I highly recommend one of the best Diamond concerts Neil Diamond: Love at the Greek, not sure if it is in DVD, but is it suberb! ......MzRizz

he just might be the best song writer of all time 'the best singer and concert player. i've been listen too neil from age 6 too my age now , which is 31 and ,I LOVE THAT MAN! I could name 10 of his songs that deal with my life. hes my man . just to let evry one know"I've been this way before"

mikey ryan

Ditto, ditto, a thousand times ditto about what everyone has said. I'm really a fool, I didn't even see the sticker on the CD case that said 13 live versions were on these CDs. I thought I hit the jackpot with this, since it seems like with all his other collections Neil (or whoever puts his collections together for him) intentionally leaves at least one or two of everyone's faves off so you'll have to buy more than one CD. The live versions of songs like Cracklin' Rosie, I'm a Believer, Red, Red Wine, etc. are abyssmal. So colossally disappointing, a waste of $30.

Neil Diamond - The Greatest Hits 1966-1992.

Neil Diamond is one of America's finest singer-songwriters, and he has been consistantly popular for several decades. It's not surprising that his work still sells very well, and his concerts often fill up. Over the years, he has released many excellent songs, and there have been many compilations that have covered his work. Read on for my review of this compilation - Greatest Hits 1966-1992.

I was pretty ecstatic when I found this CD in my local library - it was a dual-disc collection of Neil Diamond's biggest hits. But once I got home and popped it in my player, I was in shock - and I don't mean the good kind! The collection consisted of live versions of many of the hits! I wanted to get a collection that would usurp the old Classics compilations, but even that single-disc collection, which doesn't even fill the disc to the limit, is much better than this compilation! NOWHERE ON THE PACKAGING DOES IT SAY THAT THESE TRACKS ARE LIVE VERSIONS! I LOVE Neil Diamond, but I think that this dual-disc set is a disgrace to his legacy.

I don't really have to say much about the different editions of this album since only one edition currently exists - and even that is too many editions for this crappy compilation.

Want to get into Neil Diamond? GET A BETTER COLLECTION! I'm glad I just borrowed this from the library rather than actually buying it. No compilation defines "false advertising" the way this one does. If you're gonna put alternate versions of songs on a compilation, LET PEOPLE KNOW! There are a lot of good Neil compilations out there - this just isn't one of them.

Don't get this record if you really liked Neil Diamond. The "LIVE CONCERT versions of his songs SUCK!!!" I really hated wasting my money on this CD.
I wish I could give it back!!!

This is actually one of the very best Neil Diamond collections out there. But unfortunately his very best hits are done on concert performance only. Most of the performances are pretty good. But they're still concert performances and not the real songs.

And only most of them are done pretty good. There's a couple of exceptions; most notably, the classic "Red, Red Wine," in which Neil actually raps

Red Red Wine make me feel so good
Even if the words aren't understood
Everybody get to have some fun
With UB40 - We Be Number One!

I'm sorry but white, aging crooners with scratchy voices from Brooklyn are not supposed to rap! I wish I could find an extensive Neil Diamond collection which contained both the original songs and some of the really great concert performances (minus, of course, the "Red, Red Wine" butchering).

This CD does not completely disappoint. (Notice the three stars instead of one.) But it is not for those who wish to hear the clean and original recordings of Neil's best work.

TRUST ME. NEIL DIAMOND IS NO SINATRA OR DEANIE MARTIN LIVE. PLUS THE RECORD IS MISSING SOME OF THE BEST SONGS LIKE DONE TOO SOON, ONE HAND ONE HEART AND HEARTLIGHT ARE NOT ON HERE. GET THE ORIGINAL GREATEST SONGS RECORDS INSTEAD OF THIS ONE.

WARNING: DON'T BUY THIS UNLESS YOU LOVE "LIVE" VERSIONS OF THESE HITS! This should have been marked in plain English on the front of this CD. These live versions of Neil Diamond's greatest hits are driving me nuts! I'm accustomed to this great singer's subtle phrasing and nuance in every one of his songs, and for these to be so markedly different from the originals I grew up hearing on AM radio is nerve-wracking. It amazes me that this CD's producers could have assumed that Neil fans would be satisifed with these versions. I'm on the verge of returning this CD to sender.

I just love this album. It is one of those music records you can't get enough of. These are all great hit songs. We need more artists like Neil.

I agree with some of the other reviews. I too didn't care for the live versions. Then again, I assumed I was getting the original recordings, without doing myself a favor and reading the reviews by those listed here on Amazon. Shame on me. I've given this one away, and now am hunting for a compilation of the original studio stuff.

Buyer beware! I used to own this album -- got it through a CD club, but returned it. After purchase, I discovered, to my dismay, that some of the songs were not the original versions but live versions instead. There was no indication that these were "remakes" on the cover. Deception! Why, oh why, do the powers that be feel compelled to keep including these live versions of some songs on all of Neil's "greatest hits" type albums? If I wanted live versions of his songs, I'd buy a live album. (I'm not a big fan of live albums as a rule anyway. Give me the studio versions!) I haven't yet been able to find a compilation of Neil's wonderful work that includes all original versions of all the songs on one album. I'm still waiting, Neil ...

This is the one to buy if your are a Neil Diamond fan.